Departments & Programs
Physics
Program I: Physics
Required Courses
Students must complete the following course work with a minimum grade of C– in each course and a minimum grade point average of C (2.000) in the courses overall:
- At least 35 credit hours of physics, including P221, P222, and P301; upper-level lecture courses P331, P441, and P453; and laboratory courses P309 and P451. P201-P202 may be substituted for P221-P222 with permission from the physics advisor. P460 may be substituted for P451 with permission from the physics advisor.
- At least 20 credit hours in mathematics and computer science, including M211 (or S211 or M215), M212 (or S212 or M216), M311, and M343 (or honors equivalents).
- 9 credit hours in biological and physical sciences, outside of the Departments of Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science. At least 6 of the 9 credit hours must be in the same department.
Students must also complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Recommendations
The following courses are recommended:
- Physics P332, P340, P442, and P454 for students planning to pursue a graduate degree in physics; alternative programs (such as those with more emphasis on electronics, optics, biophysics, or environmental physics) should be discussed with the physics advisor.
- Mathematics M301 or M303, M344, M415, and M441. Physics P321 covers similar material to M312 but both are recommended.
- Chemistry C117 and one of C118, R340, or C341 (or honors equivalents), preferably taken in the freshman or sophomore year. Alternative courses from the natural and physical sciences should be discussed with the physics advisor.
It is also recommended that students be fluent in at least one scientific programming language. Computer Science A201 and A202 may be appropriate for students with no prior programming experience.